Fourteen Days
by FotoBridgeT2
Summary: Hotch gave her Fourteen Days to come to a decision about their relationship. He never said he wouldn't try to influence her decision! Follows my story Apocalypse Now and comes before my story Hope H/P of course!
1. Chapter 1

FOURTEEN DAYS

(For proper reading order, check my profile. This story falls right after Apocalypse Now.) Please REview!

_Hotch gave Emily two weeks after the end of my fic "Apocalypse Now", to decide if she wanted a relationship with him. Those two weeks are up during my fiction "Hope". But what happens in the meantime?_

_How does Emily make her decision? How does Hotch pass those two weeks?_

_Here goes…_

DAY ONE

She carried her bag off the plane, slung over her shoulder, her injured hand resting gingerly on the black leather. Derek walked at her side, teasing her about giving him a ride home. Hotch watched, longingly, a few yards behind her, wishing it was him that would be leaving with her instead of Derek. But he knew she needed her space, despite how he wanted to be with her every second of the next few days.

Rationally, he knew it was best for both of them to take a break from each other. Knew he needed to see Jack and unwind. To process the changes in his life over the last few days. Give her the same opportunity. A strategic retreat.

Hotch walked immediately to his office, to check his messages and drop off his paper work. He'd have Jack all weekend and wanted no distractions—not even one file. He felt a thrill of excitement knowing he'd have his son for two uninterrupted days. The only thing that would make it better was if Emily was there with him, too.

Of course, she'd probably think it was too soon for that.

Aaron knew how he felt—hell, he'd been trained to observe and understand every aspect of human behavior—and that translated into knowing every aspect of his own behavior. And he knew what he wanted.

He drove the miles to his apartment—ironically, it was less than a mile and a half from Emily's Annandale townhouse. He passed her complex everyday on his way to work. For the last three weeks, it had been harder and harder not to drive by her building. Just to make sure she was safe.

Once again, he realized his behavior sounded a bit like an obsession. As he rolled past the entrance to her complex, he caught sight of her BMW as it whipped into the space in front of her place. She always drove so fast—it was why he'd never let her drive on a case—unless they wanted to get somewhere incredibly fast. He idly questioned whether a BMW sports car was the appropriate vehicle for her. The way she drove—she'd be better off in a tank.

He returned Hayley's call as soon as he walked into his apartment, listening with half an ear to her various demands. "I'll pick him up this evening around six. I just walked in the door, Hayley. I haven't even sat my bag down."

"_I just need to know that you're not going to go rushing off on a case and need me to pick him up, Aaron. I won't be here. You understand that right?"_

"Listen, I understand you and what's his name, Richard, are going out of town. Have fun. I put in for personal time for this. Jack will be fine. I have kept him before, remember. But it's not that you're worried about, is it?"

"_Don't profile me, Aaron."_

"Look, I have to go. I need to get some sleep before I pick him up, and I have to go to the grocery store to get some macaroni and cheese. Good bye, Hayley."

He never would have imagined hanging the phone up on Hayley would be one of his life's perverse pleasures.

Of course, he'd never imagined they'd be divorced, either. Rossi'd said it best when he told Emily that life was a terrible thing to have happen to a person.

But Aaron was dealing with this. His life went on. He'd make the best effort he possibly could to be there for Jack, but he had come to the realization watching his friend suffering in the hospital just a few short weeks ago, that _he _needed something different than Hayley. Now he just had to wait fourteen days to get it.

KURTTHECATKURTHECAT

Kurt was hogging the pillow—again. Emily sleepily pushed him aside, ignoring his _merow_ of indignation. The big yellow cat was very expressive—and complained often. She just ignored him. It worked better for her that way.

Still, she had to admit, she'd missed him while she'd been gone. He always made her feel needed and loved. Except when he pouted because she'd left him alone for several days on end. Never mind that she paid the teenager three doors down to come over and check on him every morning before school.

To Kurt, it just wasn't the same. For Emily, either.

But she had two whole days to make it up to him. And she was looking forward to every moment of it.She had nothing to do but be with the cat, and think about Hotch's ultimatum. How was she supposed to decide? Choice A, have a flaming affair with her supervisor, the man she'd likened to a frozen, unemotional robot, or Choice B, tell him no? Did she want either?

Hotch wasn't a cold, unemotional robot, she'd seen that in the days since Rossi'd nearly died. Hotch just chose to bury his feelings deep. And he'd all of the sudden developed feelings for her. It freaked her to her toes.

But she had to admit, when it came right down to it—had she ever truly trusted another man the way she did Hotch? No. She didn't think so. Did any other man make her tremble, make her breathless the way Hotch suddenly could? No. She didn't believe so. But could she handle the high stakes of being involved with him? She just didn't know.

The Nortan Springs case had been a tough one, and it had proven to her one thing—Hotch's feelings were running deep, deeper than she'd ever imagined they could. And they were directed right at her. He'd made her feel so safe in California, yet he'd trusted her, as an agent and a woman, as well. It was a unique experience for her. One she wouldn't mind repeating.

But Emily Prentiss never rushed into things like this. Never, especially with something that had such great consequences. For the last year and a half, she'd _known _she didn't like him. Couldn't stand him. He'd made her long for Chicago. Made her want to quit and run.

But Prentiss's didn't quit. And they definitely didn't run. They stood their ground, and never let _anyone _see them sweat. That was a lesson she'd learned early, and one that had served her well in her career.

But she had a feeling, Aaron Hotchner could redirect her in more ways than anyone else ever could.

And _that_ was what terrified her the most.

And if she was brutally honest with herself. That was what excited her more than she'd ever been excited.

Now she just had to decide what to do about it. Somehow.

EMILYHOTCHEMILYHOTCHEMILYHOTCH

Emily's neighbor proved to be a big enough distraction that she didn't spend the entire day worrying about Hotch. Instead, she kept an eye on the little girl as the child played in the sandbox near Emily's feet.

She'd never seen a three-year-old so determined to get to the bottom of a wooden box of sand before. But little Katie's determination was amusing.

Emily often babysat the little one when her mother—Emily's neighbor to the right—was called in to work on the weekend. Corine was a social worker, and a single mother, and was highly dedicated to both Katie and the job. Watching Katie occasionally helped Emily considerably when cases got too bad. The child reminded Emily of _why _she did the job she did. So Katie could safely sit in a box of sand on a pretty Saturday afternoon, and not have to worry about the monsters surrounding her.

That was Aunt Emmie's job.

JACKHOTCHNERJACKHOTCHNERJACKHOTCHNER

Jack insisted on the park, and Aaron had prepared for that very inevitability. He'd scouted out all the parks near his apartment, looking for the safest place to take Jack, before he'd even picked the child up.

What he'd found was a nice, clean, family-friendly place about halfway between his and Emily's places. It catered mostly to younger children, with play equipment safe and suitable for children six and under, and Hotch knew Jack would enjoy it immensely.

The little boy was clamoring from his car seat, ready to run wild all over the park. Hotch pulled him up onto his hip, wise to his little games, and ruffled the boy's dark hair. "Ready, buddy? What first?"

"Dirt! Dirt box. Trucks dig! Daddy!" He held his little green shovel in one hand, the bright blue bucket in the other. He loved to dig, and Hotch had promised him they'd definitely hit the sandbox at the park. "Let's go. Hurry, hurry, hurry."

Hotch laughed at his son's enthusiasm. Even at three, Jack Hotchner knew what he wanted, and was determined to get it. "Patience, Jack-Jack!"

Hotch was an agent first, and his eyes scanned the park's occupants, cataloging any and all patrons. The family with the twins by the slides, the single dads near the monkey bars, talking and laughing, watching the single mothers by the teeter-totters, the dark-haired woman by the sandbox that looked like Emily, with the little blonde girl at her knee.

The dark-haired woman who _was _Emily. What was she doing there? Who was the little girl?

Hotch felt a smile stretching his lips as he hastened his steps, to the delight of the little boy on his hip. _Could the day get any better? _He thought, _Being with both her and Jack on a beautiful summer day?_

Emily was laughing at Katie's perplexed expression as she tried to lift the bucket of sand. "Sweetie, it's too heavy. Take some sand out."

"No. Me can do it!" The towheaded child was one of the most stubborn individuals Emily had ever met, and it was one of the kid's charms. "Aunt Emmie, me do it!"

"Ok, I don't doubt you can!" Emily laughed again. She missed the sound of footsteps coming up behind her. When she felt someone looming above her, she turned quickly, one hand reaching for the little girl.

It was instinctive. She was an agent first and foremost, and it was hard to ignore years of training. She instantly relaxed _and _tensed seeing the man and boy standing behind her.

"Hi, Embully!" Jack yelled. He'd met the lady who smelled like strawberries before. She'd played Frisbee with him and carried him around, calling him a Jack Monster. "We come to the dirt, too!"

"Hi, Jack-Monster!" She smiled at the little boy, before looking at his father. "Hotch."

"Hi. I didn't expect to see you here." He smiled softly. "Who's this?"

"This is my neighbor, Katie." The little girl stood up at her name and moved to hide behind Emily's leg. She, too, was going through a shy stage with anyone she didn't know real well. Her and her mother were transplants to the DC area, and they actually knew very view people—at least people Katie's mom felt comfortable enough to leave the girl with. "Katie, this is my friend Mr. Hotchner, and his little boy Jack. Can you say hi?"

"Hwello." She eyed the little boy from suspicious green eyes.

"Hi. Me pway in dirt, too. My buctet is blue." Jack might be shy with certain adults, but he'd never met a child he didn't like. His daddy placed him in the sand beside the little girl, and he immediately began shoveling sand into his own bucket.

Hotch sank on to the rim of the sandbox, uncaring that he'd be covered in the grit when he returned home. "So you come here often?"

She laughed at his grin. "That line work for you often?"

"I don't know, does it work with you?" He teased her in a way he'd not felt free to in the past.

"I'm here a lot." Emily admitted. "My neighbor doesn't have any family or close friends she feels comfortable enough to leave Katie with."

"So how often do you watch her?" Hotch had to admit he'd noticed before how children seemed to be drawn to her. How she seemed to be a natural at setting them at ease in some of the most truly horrifying situations.

"Her mother is a social worker, she gets called in a lot on weekends. If I'm free, I take Katie. If not, the older couple on the other side watch her. She's a wonderful child—extremely stubborn, but very bright." Emily smiled at the child in question, as the little blonde instructed the slightly older boy in the proper way of shoveling sand. "Bossy, too."

"I don't think he minds." Hotch said, watching the toddlers. "He's just happy to have her near."

"So how come we've not seen you here before?" Emily asked, having heard he'd moved somewhere near her.

"We usually go to the park a mile away from here, but they've been doing construction." Hotch said. "This was our second choice, as it's a bit further out."

"Ah." Emily acknowledged, as another man settled his little boy near Jack. He was about Emily and Hotch's age, and his boy a little older than the two toddlers currently playing at the dark-haired couple's feet. Emily smiled politely, not recognizing the man from her previous visits. The man smiled at her, a little more than politely, and Hotch frowned.

He moved one arm to rest behind Emily, and she didn't protest. He'd done similiar before. In much tenser situations. She'd grown used to him touching her frequently during the last month or so. His casual touches felt so right.

"How's your arm?" Hotch asked, softly, motioning to the air cast covering the hand and wrist she'd injured falling through Corison's roof. He covered the cast with the hand not resting behind her, on her waist.

Made it clear to whomever was watching that they—and the two children at their feet—were a unit.

"Sore. But the swelling has gone down." Emily said, the injury had looked worse than it was. "So how long do you have Jack?"

"Until Monday morning." Hotch smiled at the boy as he called for his daddy to look at his bucket. "His mother's gone out of town. So I've got him for two whole days."

"Good for you. Big plans?" Emily asked, leaning into him slightly. Neither paid much attention to the other man, nor any of the other parents in the park. They were focused on the children in their care and on each other. "Male bonding?"

"If you can bond with a three-year-old." Hotch said, ruefully. "And have him remember it, that is. Tonight—movie night. Rugrats in Paris—whatever that is. We also have a Fraggle Rock movie. But I doubt we'll make it through both."

"On our marquee we have The Princess Bride, and a Disney Princess movie. I'm not sure which one." Emily admitted. "And a promise of manicures and curly hair, of course. She's a very _traditional_ little girl."

"We'll probably eat macaroni and cheese and have a popcorn war." Hotch laughed, thinking of the differences between a three-year-old boy and a three-year-old girl. "Far cry from chasing down the Apocalypse, huh?"

"Yes. Thank God." Emily breathed, watching as Jack moved to help Katie lift her bucket. The little girl had steadfastly refused to dump so much as a grain of sand out. "She reminds me of _why_."

"Yes. Exactly." Hotch agreed. "It's for _them. _The nightmares, all of it."

"The broken bones, the collapsing roofs, the haunted hotels." Emily added, as Katie batted her eyes at Jack. "It's for this."

"I think he's in love." Hotch said, suddenly changing the subject.

"Oh?" Emily said, watching the children.

"All his playmates are little boys." Hotch said, smiling fully. "Wonder if he'll be attracted to green-eyed blondes when he's older, now?"

"I think she's just happy to have a willing slave to do her dirty work." Emily said, as Jack struggled and strained to move the little girl's bucket. "And they just empty it and refill it. Over and over."

"But at least they are playing together, instead of in parallel play." Hotch said. "I love watching him think."

"Oh?" Emily smiled, looking at him.

"It's so natural and uncomplicated." Hotch began absently running his palm up and down her spine. "Simplistic."

"Open." Emily said, arching into his touch slightly, knowing exactly what he meant. "No societal imposed checks and balances. No classically trained A to B equals C? Just this is so because. It's beautiful."

"Yes it is." Hotch said. "That's how you think, you know. When you are on a role. I like watching you think, too."

"You've given this a lot of thought?" Emily's brows rose. "Done a lot of watching?"

"I think about you more than you can imagine. Especially at night." Hotch lowered his voice, whispering the words against her ear, as she watched the children. "I think about you doing things. I think about _watching _you do things."

"Hotch!" Emily said, gasping at his meaning. She'd never expected him to say things that openly. But then again, she'd never imagined he'd touch her so freely, never imagined sleeping beside him, either. But things changed quickly. No one knew that better than her. "This your idea of giving me time?"

"I said I'd give you fourteen days—and I'd do whatever I had to, to influence your decision. Remember. Of course, I didn't plan on seeing you today. But we Hotchners know how to take advantage of any situation." He nodded toward his son, and Emily laughed when she saw what he had. "And we get what we want."

Jack was standing, pulling on the little girl's hand. Trying to get her attention from the other little boy in the sandbox. Trying to focus her back on _him. _Which he did; the little couple stepped over toward Emily and Hotch, ready to list their demands. Which the adults immediately moved to satisfy, relocating their little unit to the swings.

"Remember, Emily." Hotch said, as they each stood pushing a three-year-old on a swing. "Hotchners get what they want. No matter what."

Emily shivered, swallowed, turned back to the little girl in her care, thinking all the while, _this is going to be harder than she'd ever imagined._

_Hotch was determined to get her. __And part of her wanted to let him._


	2. Chapter 2

FOURTEEN DAYS

_Time is too slow for those who wait, too swift for those who fear, too long for those who grieve, too short for those who rejoice, but for those who love, time is eternity.__  
Henry Van Dyke_

DAY TWO

Emily never knew one small child could be so much trouble. Or so exhausting. Of course, she'd never kept Katie for nearly two full days before either. How did Corrine do it?

Emily'd barely had time for a shower while the child slept, and was towel drying her hair when her cell phone rang. "Prentiss."

"Emily, you sound out of breath, are you ok?" Her supervisor's voice asked.

"Yeah, Hotch, just being run ragged by a three-year-old. What do you need?" What else could she say to him, with his words from the day before running through her mind. _He wanted her_.

And she was a bit afraid she wanted him, too.

"You've still got Katie?"

"Yes. Her mother had to do an emergency transport of three little boys. Flew them to upper Michigan yesterday. She'll be back early enough tomorrow morning to get Katie before I have to be in." Emily explained, rinsing the girl's sippy cup as she spoke. Her once immaculate condo now showed more than indisputable evidence of a toddler's presence.

"Dammit." Hotch's words were flat. "Strauss's lackey has requested an emergency meeting of all the BAU members, teams A through C. We have to be there."

"Hotch, what am I supposed to do with Katie?" Emily's hands stilled over the sink, and she dried one quickly, raising it to pull her phone out of the crook of her shoulder where she'd set it. "The Culbertsons aren't home. I have no one else to leave her with."

"I have the same problem. Hayley won't be home until tomorrow morning. I was supposed to run Jack home on my way in." Hotch's tone was completely disgruntled, and Emily didn't blame him—she knew he'd taken personal days to be with his son. "We'll just have to bring them in."

"And do what with them?" Emily asked, hesitantly. Take a three-year-old, _two _three-year-olds, into the Behavioral Analysis Unit of the FBI? She couldn't see that going over real well.

"We didn't make it through the Fraggle movie. I can bring that. But it's only about an hour long." Hotch said. "Crayons, coloring books. Toys. I don't know how long this damned meeting will last."

"What time are we supposed to be there?" Emily asked, running one eye over the clothes she was wearing—pink lounge pants and a Mickey Mouse t-shirt was more than appropriate for a slumber party with a little girl, but not exactly for the BAU. "It'll take me at least a half hour to get her up and ready. And I don't have a whole lot of her stuff."

"It's twelve now. Everyone was supposed to be in by one." Hotch said. "If you'd like, we can swing by and get you. You're on the way."

"Thanks. I'd appreciate it. My sedan's in the shop and the BMW just isn't big enough for Katie's car seat." Emily said. She'd not planned on having to take the child anywhere, although she did have her car seat for emergencies. She guessed this qualified as an emergency. "So if this doesn't go well, can I kill Strauss's assistant? Where is she going to be?"

"Apparently she is in Maine at the office up there. I'm not sure why. Or why they want the whole unit. Dammit. I really hate to do this."

"We'd better get moving. Just get it over with. Maybe I can bribe her into being quiet with the promise of ice cream after." Emily decided to pack the girl's bag before even attempting to wake her up. The child did not wake up easily.

"We can do that. It might buy us some good behavior. At least a little." Hotch said, as he shook Jack's shoulder. The little boy always fell asleep around eleven-thirty in the morning. Hotch hated that he'd have to interrupt the child's nap. It was probably not going to be a good day at the BAU. What was the point of taking _personal _days if they were ignored?

Dammit.

But at least he'd get to see Emily.

"I'll be there around twelve-thirty, Em. Hopefully." Hotch said, as the little boy began to whimper.

"Ok. I'll see you then. Dammit. I'm going to kill whomever is responsible for this." She sighed, as she moved toward her own little charge. "This is not going to be a pleasant day."

"No. It most likely won't." Hotch agreed before he disconnected.

"Jack-Jack. You want to go see Katie and Emmie?" He asked his son, seeing the cross look in the dark eyes so like his own. "Go to Daddy's work and then get ice cream?"

"Embully, too?" Jack was in love, and Hotch knew it. The dark-haired lady had easily stolen his little boy's heart, and Hotch didn't blame his son the least little bit for his fascination. Emily was just that special.

Maybe the day wouldn't be a total wash after all.

KATIEANDJACKKATIEANDJACKKATIEANDJACK

JJ's mouth dropped slightly when her friend walked in carrying a tow-headed toddler on her hip and leading little Jack Hotchner by the hand. Wow.

"Uh, Em?" JJ said, as she and Morgan moved to help relieve the woman of the heavy diaper bag slung over Em's injured arm. "What's up?"

"This is my neighbor, Katie. She is spending the weekend with me while her mommy is in Michigan." Emily said, as the little girl moved to hide her face in Emily's hair. "Jack here, graciously offered us a ride when they called—I had to have the mechanic come get the sedan this morning. It wouldn't start. The Roadster was not designed with car seats in mind."

"Hello, Katie. I'm JJ." JJ smiled at the little girl, as Jack went and wrapped his arms around Morgan's ankle and growled—a game they'd made up a few weeks back at Derek's birthday cook-out.

Morgan picked the boy up and pretended to eat him, and the little boy just giggled and giggled. Katie looked up at the handsome man, and with regal disdain told him. "You not do dat to me, you mess up my nails."

She held a little hand out and showed the adults her little fingers, which Emily had painstakingly polished the perfect shade of little girl pink. "Aunt Emmie, worked weally hard."

"And she did an excellent job." JJ said, around a laugh.

"Did I mention that Katie is a very girly little girl?" Emily asked, rhetorically, as Hotch finally arrived. He carried Jack's bag, plus the one he'd crammed with extra supplies. It had taken him longer to park than he'd expected.

He still didn't have a clue how long this meeting would last—or what it was about. And he wanted to spend time with Jack—and Emily—but not in the middle of the BAU bullpen.

"Morgan, you heard what this is about?" He asked, taking Jack from the other man's arms. He placed the little boy on his shoulders where he sat and growled down at Morgan and Katie. The little girl was still comfortably resting on Emily's hip. Hotch moved him closer to the little girl, and Emily.

JJ smiled at the way the supervisor unconsciously moved closer to the dark-haired woman. It didn't take a profiler to see what Aaron Hotchner was feeling. And he and Emily certainly looked like they were together, with the two kids between them, diaper bags and toys spread near their feet. JJ just wondered if Emily realized how she'd changed in the last few weeks, too.

Emily's face wasn't always so stoic, anymore. She laughed a little more frequently, she seemed to relax more—even with Hotch in the room. Before, whenever he'd be near, she'd clam up or shut down, always on some sort of alert.

JJ would freely admit it was a nice change. And Hotch was beginning to remind her of the man he'd been when she first started at the BAU. Before Elle, before Gideon, before the great divorce. He was relaxing, too. More open, more approachable. More a part of the team.

And if he and Emily had created those changes in each other, JJ couldn't see how the BAU could possibly suffer.

In fact, it might just make things a little better, all around.

"Spencer still in California?" Emily asked, rocking Katie slightly, her casted hand behind the girl's shoulder.

"Should be back at the end of the week." Hotch replied, readjusting Jack a little.

"Good." Emily and JJ shared a smile, remembering how nervous the boy had been before his date with the Nortan Springs detective.

Before anything else could be said, the sound of a man clearing his throat from behind Hotch caused them all to turn quickly. Mr. August Parsons—Strauss's second-in-command—stood staring at the premiere BAU team with derision in his uninspiring eyes. His lips curled upon seeing the two toddlers in the team's midst. "What's this?"

"They're children." Hotch said, deadpan. "It's a weekend. We all had plans. What's this all about, Gus?"

"I'll get to that in a minute." Parsons said. "What are you going to do with these children? They can't be here during the meeting."

"Well, I suppose we could have left them at home, _alone, _seeing as how they are three-years-old and capable of taking care of themselves." Hotch said. He still wasn't too happy about being called in during his personal time.

"Agent Hotchner, wasn't there someone who could have watched your son, and…" He looked at Emily and the child in her arms. He was pretty certain SSA Prentiss didn't have any children, but what did he really know?

"This is Katie, she's staying with me all weekend." Emily said, "Since I was off this weekend for medical leave. And, no—there was no one else to watch her. That's why I have her."

"I apologize for putting everyone out." Parsons tone belied his words. "It was a matter of extreme importance. If you'd adjourn to the conference room—and do something with these children—I'll explain."

"Emily, let's _do something _with these children." Hotch said, near her ear, where only she could hear. "Then I can think of something _we_ can do."

"Hotch." Emily chastised softly, moving Katie to subtly block her face from Parsons' view. "No planning Parsons' murder, he may just take you seriously."

"Oh, I should be taken very seriously." He snickered, as the little boy on his shoulders glared and growled at the little hairless guy walking in front of his daddy. "You should know that by now. And I meant something else."

As Emily followed Parsons to the conference room, she couldn't help but shiver at his words.

The man was so damned coldly hot, he was lethal.

HOTCHEMILYHOTCHEMILYHOTCHEMILY

Apparently, Hotch's team were the last to arrive at Parsons' little meeting. Teams B and C and their support personnel—technical analysts and media liaisons and office staff—were all arranged around the large mahogany table.

All conversation stopped as they turned toward Team A—and the two toddlers, who'd yet to stop jabbering at each other.

Emily felt the majority of the eyes on her and her bundle, and she struggled not to lose her composure. _What was so strange about seeing her with a kid?_

Garcia—who'd been recruited to set up Parsons' projection equipment—looked at her friend and knew exactly what the rest of the unit were thinking. Especially the men.

Emily wore jeans—something she rarely did—and they showed her shape to perfection. The soft t-shirt she wore clung in all the right places and was a beautiful red shade. Emily always looked good in red, and with her hair down and curled, she looked earthy, beautiful—stunning, and soft.

And since most of the unit was composed of men—women were outnumbered six to one in most Bureau units, the BAU being no exception—Emily, looking much different than she normally did, was bound to be noticed.

The little girl in her arms was just secondary. Most of the men of the BAU were well aware of the fact that SSA Emily Prentiss didn't have children, wasn't married. A few had even been brave enough to ask her out, to which the answer was usually a firm _no_. But it didn't stop some of them from dreaming of the day she'd change her mind. If she ever changed her mind. Made them wonder why she'd always said no.

Maybe the man at her side was the reason. Garcia easily recognized the little boy, who waved to her fiercely from his daddy's broad shoulders. Then the little boy turned to the little girl and started chattering rapidly. It was obvious to all who saw them—and most who did were the people trained to catalogue human behaviors—that the children had met before. That Aaron Hotchner and his subordinate had been together in strictly non-professional settings.

It led many of them to…wonder. Speculate. Consider.

Hotch and Emily quickly set the two children up with Emily's laptop—which had dual jacks for headphones. The subject matter at the BAU was never appropriate for two toddlers to hear, and the couple was taking no chances. Coloring books, sippy cups, and small cartoon-covered pillows and blankets were arranged in the corner furthest from the projection setup. Then the children were all set, their movie ready to play.

Hotch unthinkingly lowered a hand to Emily, who'd been down in the floor arranging pillows. She took it, equally unthinking, and rose. Neither one caught the glances that passed between many of those watching. It was more than obvious that Prentiss and Hotchner were _very _comfortable with each other.

But nobody said anything. Not to Aaron Hotchner, one of the founders of the preeminent profilers in the unit, in the country. No one dared, as he, and only he, was the leader of the entire BAU. Unit Chief Strauss just supervised several units in the section. Hotchner controlled the BAU.

But that didn't keep them from speculating.

Hotch and Emily took their seats, beside each other, and Derek and JJ, respectively. Garcia soon moved to JJ's other side. It was the five of them, ready to face whatever Parsons was about to hand out.

"Parsons, I suggest you get this thing started. That movie is sixty-three minutes long. You've sixty-three minutes until they'll be demanding attention." Hotch ordered. "Understand?"

"This won't take long, Agent Hotchner." Parsons began, with an oily smile on his chubby face. "Its come to our attention that some of the teams are failing in their objectives. So all teams will be reorganized and reassigned. Starting immediately."

"Excuse me?" Hotch's words were low, but no one missed the threat in them. Half the people at the table moved back slightly. "Who's attention? What failure?"

"Team C's recent case in Alabama. Four young men were killed while they struggled to find him. The review board has decided it was a sloppily led investigation. Team B's Texas experience. Two agents wounded, because they were too busy playing poker to watch their own backs. Team A. Your team, Agent Hotchner, and the media circus surrounding the Nortan Springs California incident."

"How was that case a failure?" Hotch demanded, in a tone that was rising.

"Roofs collapsing, dead suspects, a _chief-of-police _arrested on petty assault charges. The media leak, the press conference ending in bullets. Need I go on, Agent Hotchner?" Parsons smirk had Hotch unconsciously fisting his hands, as he stood and moved closer to the man.

Emily looked over to the corner, checking to make sure the toddlers were still engaged in their movie. They weren't. Jack and Katie sat, staring at Hotch, eyes wide and nervous.

"Hotch!" Emily's tone was firm and had every head turning toward her. She motioned to the children.

"Garcia!" Hotch said, keeping his tone mild and unemotional. "Will you take Katie and Jack to the canteen. I think they should have some chocolate chip cookies, today."

"Yes, sir."

Nobody said anything, or moved, as the blonde tech led the two children out of the room, leaving the movie playing forlornly in the corner.

Hotch turned back to Parsons, stepping slightly closer. The smaller man backed down when faced with the colder man's fury. "Are you questioning _my _team's actions, Gus?"

"I'm just saying the review board thought there might be a slight cause for concern." The man equivocated.

"Was the review board concerned with the fact that it was one of the UNSUBS who was responsible for the media leak, or that the police chief in question, _assaulted _three members of the FBI? Then threatened the female members of my team with sexual harm? Was the _review board _concerned that one of my agents was injured while chasing a man responsible for the deaths of six people across a roof? That that agent was nearly killed when that same UNSUB held a knife to her throat _after _they'd both fallen through that roof? If so, then I want to speak to this review board."

"That won't be necessary." Parsons warbled. "I said they thought there might be some cause for concern. Just some."

"Good." Hotch said, his tone so cold nearly everyone shivered.

Emily watched the mini-drama and wondered again, how one who appeared so cold could manage to be so damned hot at the same time.

"What about my team?" Neil O'Dell demanded, as leader of team C, he'd taken as much exception to Parsons' accusations as Hotchner had his team's. "We followed procedure in every aspect of that case."

"And one of the victims was the governor's granddaughter!" Parsons said. "That doesn't exactly make the unit look good, now does it?"

Emily's mouth twisted up as she caught the underlying point of this meeting. Politics—dammit, she hated politics. Hotch returned to his seat, and she felt his knee bump hers, felt his hand as it ran down her thigh, both soothing and heating her.

His touches were going to burn her alive.

"And Team B?" The third team leader asked, though he knew his team had been a drain on the unit. It wasn't his fault, half his team was inexperienced agents, while the rest were just not adequately suited for a behavioral unit. He wasn't even sure why he'd ended up with half of them. He longed for a team like Hotchners. "What changes will be made there?"

"In the next few weeks, all the teams will be evaluated and reassigned if necessary. And we will be forming a fourth team, Team D." Parsons said. "Any more questions?"

"No." Hotch said, "One statement. Under no circumstances will my team be reassigned. Do what you want with the others, but my team remains intact."

"I'll let Chief Strauss know that's how you feel."

"I'll let her know myself." Hotch threatened, low and menacingly. Cold and frightening. "You can count on that. Now, if you'll excuse us, I believe Agent Prentiss and I promised a pair of three-year-olds some ice cream. Meeting dismissed."

It took Hotch and Emily less than two minutes to gather the children's paraphernalia. And thirty seconds after that to say their goodbyes before they hunted down Garcia.

JJ and Emily left the room ahead of Derek and Hotch, chatting about inconsequential things.

So they didn't hear the comments from a couple of members of Team B. The comments about the dark-haired female member of Team A, and why the cold-ass son-of-a-bitch Hotchner wanted to keep a hot piece like that close.

But Hotchner heard. And as he looked at the two men, he made sure they _knew_ he had. And knew that first thing Monday morning—they'd be gone. Transferred to the worst overseas posts available. All that talk about cold and hot—see how they'd like an Iraqi or Siberian assignment.

And Aaron Hotchner could do it, too.

But first, he had an ice cream date. And he planned to enjoy every bite and every minute of it.


End file.
